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We present high-resolution Magellan/MIKE spectroscopy of 42 red giant stars in seven stellar streams confirmed by the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5): ATLAS, Aliqa Uma, Chenab, Elqui, Indus, Jhelum, and Phoenix. Abundances of 30 elements have been derived from over 10,000 individual line measurements or upper limits using photometric stellar parameters and a standard LTE analysis. This is currently the most extensive set of element abundances for stars in stellar streams. Three streams (ATLAS, Aliqa Uma, and Phoenix) are disrupted metal-poor globular clusters, although only weak evidence is seen for the light element anticorrelations commonly observed in globular clusters. Four streams (Chenab, Elqui, Indus, and Jhelum) are disrupted dwarf galaxies, and their stars display abundance signatures that suggest progenitors with stellar masses ranging from $10^6-10^7 M_\odot$. Extensive description is provided for the analysis methods, including the derivation of a new method for including the effect of stellar parameter correlations on each star's abundance and uncertainty. This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 meter Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile., Comment: Accepted to AJ. 39 pages, 13 figures, 7 tables

Globular clusters are some of the oldest bound stellar structures observed in the Universe. They are ubiquitous in large galaxies and are believed to trace intense star formation events and the hierarchical build-up of structure. Observations of globular clusters in the Milky Way, and a wide variety of other galaxies, have found evidence for a `metallicity floor', whereby no globular clusters are found with chemical (`metal') abundances below approximately 0.3 to 0.4 per cent of that of the Sun. The existence of this metallicity floor may reflect a minimum mass and a maximum redshift for surviving globular clusters to form, both critical components for understanding the build-up of mass in the universe. Here we report measurements from the Southern Stellar Streams Spectroscopic Survey of the spatially thin, dynamically cold Phoenix stellar stream in the halo of the Milky Way. The properties of the Phoenix stream are consistent with it being the tidally disrupted remains of a globular cluster. However, its metal abundance ([Fe/H] = -2.7) is substantially below that of the empirical metallicity floor. The Phoenix stream thus represents the debris of the most metal-poor globular cluster discovered so far, and its progenitor is distinct from the present-day globular cluster population in the local Universe. Its existence implies that globular clusters below the metallicity floor have probably existed, but were destroyed during Galactic evolution., Comment: Authors' version of an Article published in Nature on July 29th, 2020

We present the first spectroscopic measurements of the ATLAS and Aliqa Uma streams from the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey ($S^5$), in combination with the photometric data from the Dark Energy Survey and astrometric data from $Gaia$. From the coherence of spectroscopic members in radial velocity and proper motion, we find out that these two systems are extremely likely to be one stream with discontinuity in morphology and density on the sky (the "kink" feature). We refer to this entire stream as the ATLAS-Aliqa Uma stream, or the AAU stream. We perform a comprehensive exploration of the effect of baryonic substructures and find that only an encounter with the Sagittarius dwarf $\sim 0.5$ Gyr ago can create a feature similar to the observed "kink". In addition, we also identify two gaps in the ATLAS component associated with the broadening in the stream width (the "broadening" feature). These gaps have likely been created by small mass perturbers, such as dark matter halos, as the AAU stream is the most distant cold stream known with severe variations in both the stream surface density and the stream track on the sky. With the stream track, stream distance and kinematic information, we determine the orbit of the AAU stream and find that it has been affected by the Large Magellanic Cloud, resulting in a misalignment between the proper motion and stream track. Together with the Orphan-Chenab Stream, AAU is the second stream pair that has been found to be a single stream separated into two segments by external perturbation., Comment: 33 pages, 22 figures (including 1 movie), 3 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ

Metal-poor stars are important tools for tracing the early history of the Milky Way, and for learning about the first generations of stars. Simulations suggest that the oldest metal-poor stars are to be found in the inner Galaxy. Typical bulge surveys, however, lack low metallicity ([Fe/H] < -1.0) stars because the inner Galaxy is predominantly metal-rich. The aim of the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) is to study the metal-poor and very metal-poor (VMP, [Fe/H] < -2.0) stars in this region. In PIGS, metal-poor targets for spectroscopic follow-up are selected from metallicity-sensitive CaHK photometry from the CFHT. This work presents the ~250 deg^2 photometric survey as well as intermediate-resolution spectroscopic follow-up observations for ~8000 stars using AAOmega on the AAT. The spectra are analysed using two independent tools: ULySS with an empirical spectral library, and FERRE with a library of synthetic spectra. The comparison between the two methods enables a robust determination of the stellar parameters and their uncertainties. We present a sample of 1300 VMP stars -- the largest sample of VMP stars in the inner Galaxy to date. Additionally, our spectroscopic dataset includes ~1700 horizontal branch stars, which are useful metal-poor standard candles. We furthermore show that PIGS photometry selects VMP stars with unprecedented efficiency: 86%/80% (lower/higher extinction) of the best candidates satisfy [Fe/H] < -2.0, as do 80%/63% of a larger, less strictly selected sample. We discuss future applications of this unique dataset that will further our understanding of the chemical and dynamical evolution of the innermost regions of our Galaxy., Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS, 17 pages, 9 figures

We show that the gravitational phase space for the near-horizon region of a bifurcate, axisymmetric Killing horizon in any dimension admits a 2D conformal symmetry algebra with central charges proportional to the area. This extends the construction of [Haco et. al., JHEP 12, 098 (2018)] to generic Killing horizons appearing in solutions of Einstein's equations, and motivates a holographic description in terms of a 2D conformal field theory. The Cardy entropy in such a field theory agrees with the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the horizon, suggesting a microscopic interpretation., Comment: 6+4 pages, 2 columns, 1 figure, v2: included a derivation of integrability of the horizon charges, added appendix on the near-horizon expansion for Kerr, references added; updated to match published version

We perform a numerical study of the heat transfer and flow structure of Rayleigh-B\'enard (RB) convection in (in most cases regular) porous media, which are comprised of circular, solid obstacles located on a square lattice. This study is focused on the role of porosity $\phi$ in the flow properties during the transition process from the traditional RB convection with $\phi=1$ (so no obstacles included) to Darcy-type porous-media convection with $\phi$ approaching 0. Simulations are carried out in a cell with unity aspect ratio, for the Rayleigh number $Ra$ from $10^5$ to $10^{10}$ and varying porosities $\phi$, at a fixed Prandtl number $Pr=4.3$, and we restrict ourselves to the two dimensional case. For fixed $Ra$, the Nusselt number $Nu$ is found to vary non-monotonously as a function of $\phi$; namely, with decreasing $\phi$, it first increases, before it decreases for $\phi$ approaching 0. The non-monotonous behaviour of $Nu(\phi)$ originates from two competing effects of the porous structure on the heat transfer. On the one hand, the flow coherence is enhanced in the porous media, which is beneficial for the heat transfer. On the other hand, the convection is slowed down by the enhanced resistance due to the porous structure, leading to heat transfer reduction. For fixed $\phi$, depending on $Ra$, two different heat transfer regimes are identified, with different effective power-law behaviours of $Nu$ vs $Ra$, namely, a steep one for low $Ra$ when viscosity dominates, and the standard classical one for large $Ra$. The scaling crossover occurs when the thermal boundary layer thickness and the pore scale are comparable. The influences of the porous structure on the temperature and velocity fluctuations, convective heat flux, and energy dissipation rates are analysed, further demonstrating the competing effects of the porous structure to enhance or reduce the heat transfer.

We present the first SkyMapper stellar population analysis of the Large Magellanic Cloud (hereafter LMC),including the identification of 3578 candidate Carbon Stars through their extremely red $g-r$ colours. Coupled with Gaia astrometry, we analyse the distribution and kinematics of this Carbon Star population, finding the LMC to be centred at $(R.A., Dec.) = (80.90^{\circ}\pm{0.29}, -68.74^{\circ}\pm{0.12})$, with a bulk proper motion of $(\mu_{\alpha},\mu_{\delta}) = (1.878\pm0.007,0.293\pm0.018) \mathrm{mas\ yr^{-1}}$ and a disk inclination of $i = 25.6^{\circ}\pm1.1$ at position angle $\theta = 135.6^{\circ}\pm 3.3^{\circ}$. We complement this study with the identification and analysis of additional stellar populations, finding that the dynamical centre for Red Giant Branch (RGB) stars is similar to that seen for the Carbon Stars, whereas for young stars the dynamical centre is significantly offset from the older populations. This potentially indicates that the young stars were formed as a consequence of a strong tidal interaction, probably with the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). In terms of internal dynamics, the tangential velocity profile increases linearly within $\sim3\ \mathrm{kpc}$, after which it maintains an approximately constant value of $V_{rot} = 83.6\pm 1.7 \mathrm{km\ s^{-1}}$ until $\sim7 \mathrm{kpc}$. With an asymmetric drift correction, we estimate the mass within $7 \mathrm{kpc}$ to be $M_{\rm LMC}(<7\mathrm{kpc}) = (2.5\pm0.1)\times10^{10}\ \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$ and within the tidal radius ($\sim 30\ \mathrm{kpc}$) to be $M_{\rm LMC}(<30\mathrm{kpc}) = (1.06 \pm 0.32)\times10^{11}\ \mathrm{M}_{\odot}$, consistent with other recent measurements., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Accepted by MNRAS

The dwarf galaxy distribution surrounding M31 is significantly anisotropic in nature. Of the 30 dwarf galaxies in this distribution, 15 form a disc-like structure and 23 are contained within the hemisphere facing the Milky Way. Using a realistic local potential, we analyse the conditions required to produce and maintain these asymmetries. We find that some dwarf galaxies are required to have highly eccentric orbits in order to preserve the presence of the hemispherical asymmetry with an appropriately large radial dispersion. Under the assumption that the dwarf galaxies originate from a single association or accretion event, we find that the initial size and specific energy of that association must both be relatively large in order to produce the observed hemispherical asymmetry. However if the association was large in physical size, the very high-energy required would enable several dwarf galaxies to escape from the M31 and be captured by the Milky Way. Furthermore, we find that associations that result in this structure have total specific energies concentrated around $E = V_{esc}^{2} - V_{init}^{2} \sim 200^2$ -- $300^2\ \rm{km^2\ s^{-2}}$, implying that the initial velocity and initial position needed to produce the structure are strongly correlated. The overlap of initial conditions required to produce the radial dispersion, angular dispersion, and the planar structure is small and suggests that either they did not originate from a single accretion event, or that these asymmetric structures are short-lived., Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted by MNRAS

Our Galaxy is known to contain a central boxy/peanut-shaped bulge, yet the importance of a classical, pressure-supported component within the central part of the Milky Way is still being debated. It should be most visible at low metallicity, a regime that has not yet been studied in detail. Using metallicity-sensitive narrow-band photometry, the Pristine Inner Galaxy Survey (PIGS) has collected a large sample of metal-poor ([Fe/H] < -1.0) stars in the inner Galaxy to address this open question. We use PIGS to trace the metal-poor inner Galaxy kinematics as function of metallicity for the first time. We find that the rotational signal decreases with decreasing [Fe/H], until it becomes negligible for the most metal-poor stars. Additionally, the velocity dispersion increases with decreasing metallicity for -3.0 < [Fe/H] < -0.5, with a gradient of -44 $\pm$ 4 km$\,$s$^{-1}\,$dex$^{-1}$. These observations may signal a transition between Galactic components of different metallicities and kinematics, a different mapping onto the boxy/peanut-shaped bulge for former disk stars of different metallicities and/or the secular dynamical and gravitational influence of the bar on the pressure-supported component. Our results provide strong constraints on models that attempt to explain the properties of the inner Galaxy., Comment: 5 pages + appendices, accepted to MNRAS Letters

Based upon the kinematics of ten globular clusters, it has recently been claimed that the ultra-diffuse galaxy, NCD 1052-DF2, lacks a significant quantity of dark matter. Dynamical analyses have generally assumed that this galaxy is pressure supported, with the relatively small velocity dispersion of the globular cluster population indicating the deficit of dark matter. However, the presence of a significant rotation of the globular cluster population could substantially modify this conclusion. Here we present the discovery of such a signature of rotation in the kinematics of NGC 1052-DF2's globular clusters, with a velocity amplitude of $\sim12.44^{+4.40}_{-5.16}$ km/s, which, through Bayesian model comparison, represents a marginally better fit to the available kinematic data; note that this rotation is distinct from, and approximately perpendicular to, the recently identified rotation of the stellar component of NGC 1052-DF2. Assuming this truly represents an underlying rotation, it is shown that the determined mass depends upon the inclination of the rotational component and, with a moderate inclination, the resultant mass to light ratio can exceed $M/L\sim10$., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters

Large galaxies grow through the accumulation of dwarf galaxies. In principle it is possible to trace this growth history using the properties of a galaxy's stellar halo. Previous investigations of the galaxy M31 (Andromeda) have shown that outside a radius of 25 kpc the population of halo globular clusters is rotating in alignment with the stellar disk, as are more centrally located clusters. The M31 halo also contains coherent stellar substructures, along with a smoothly distributed stellar component. Many of the globular clusters outside 25 kpc are associated with the most prominent substructures, while others are part of the smooth halo. Here we report a new analysis of the kinematics of these globular clusters. We find that the two distinct populations are rotating with perpendicular orientations. The rotation axis for the population associated with the smooth halo is aligned with the rotation axis for the plane of dwarf galaxies that encircles M31. We interpret these separate cluster populations as arising from two major accretion epochs, likely separated by billions of years. Stellar substructures from the first epoch are gone, but those from the more recent second epoch still remain., Comment: Authors' version of a Letter published in Nature on October 3rd, 2019

We present the serendipitous discovery of the fastest Main Sequence hyper-velocity star (HVS) by the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5). The star S5-HVS1 is a $\sim 2.35$ M$_\odot$ A-type star located at a distance of $\sim 9$ kpc from the Sun and has a heliocentric radial velocity of $1017\pm 2.7$ km/s without any signature of velocity variability. The current 3-D velocity of the star in the Galactic frame is $1755\pm50$ km/s. When integrated backwards in time, the orbit of the star points unambiguously to the Galactic Centre, implying that S5-HVS1 was kicked away from Sgr A* with a velocity of $\sim 1800$ km/s and travelled for $4.8$ Myr to its current location. This is so far the only HVS confidently associated with the Galactic Centre. S5-HVS1 is also the first hyper-velocity star to provide constraints on the geometry and kinematics of the Galaxy, such as the Solar motion $V_{y,\odot}= 246.1\pm 5.3$ km/s or position $R_0=8.12\pm 0.23$ kpc. The ejection trajectory and transit time of S5-HVS1 coincide with the orbital plane and age of the annular disk of young stars at the Galactic centre, and thus may be linked to its formation. With the S5-HVS1 ejection velocity being almost twice the velocity of other hyper-velocity stars previously associated with the Galactic Centre, we question whether they have been generated by the same mechanism or whether the ejection velocity distribution has been constant over time., Comment: Accepted to MNRAS; 16 pages

Penetrative turbulent Rayleigh-B\'enard convection which depends on the density maximum of water near $4^\circ\rm{C}$ is studied using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) direct numerical simulations (DNS). The working fluid is water near $4^\circ\rm{C}$ with Prandtl number $Pr=11.57$. The considered Rayleigh numbers $Ra$ range from $10^7$ to $10^{10}$. The density inversion parameter $\theta_m$ varies from 0 to 0.9. It is found that the ratio of the top and bottom thermal boundary-layer thickness ($F_\lambda=\lambda_t^\theta/\lambda_b^\theta$) increases with increasing $\theta_m$, and the relationship between $F_\lambda$ and $\theta_m$ seems to be independent of $Ra$. The centre temperature $\theta_c$ is enhanced compared to that of Oberbeck-Boussinesq (OB) cases, as $\theta_c$ is related to $F_\lambda$ with $1/\theta_c=1/F_\lambda+1$, $\theta_c$ is also found to have a universal relationship with $\theta_m$ which is independent of $Ra$. Both the Nusselt number $Nu$ and the Reynolds number $Re$ decrease with increasing $\theta_m$, the normalized Nusselt number $Nu(\theta_m)/Nu(0)$ and Reynolds number $Re(\theta_m)/Re(0)$ also have universal relationships with $\theta_m$ which seem to be independent of both $Ra$ and the aspect ratio $\Gamma$. The scaling exponents of $Nu\sim Ra^\alpha$ and $Re\sim Ra^\beta$ are found to be insensitive to $\theta_m$ despite of the remarkable change of the flow organizations., Comment: 17 pages,10 figures

We study the Schwinger effect during inflation and its imprints on the primordial power spectrum and bispectrum. The produced charged particles by Schwinger effect during inflation can leave a unique angular dependence on the primordial spectra., Comment: 27 pages, 13 figures, JHEP accepted version

The stars within our Galactic halo presents a snapshot of its ongoing growth and evolution, probing galaxy formation directly. Here, we present our first analysis of the stellar halo from detailed maps of Blue Horizontal Branch (BHB) stars drawn from the SkyMapper Southern Sky Survey. To isolate candidate BHB stars from the overall population, we develop a machine-learning approach through the application of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), resulting in a relatively pure sample of target stars. From this, we derive the absolute $u$ magnitude for the BHB sample to be $\sim2\ mag$, varying slightly with $(v-g)_0$ and $(u-v)_0$ colours. We examine the BHB number density distribution from 5272 candidate stars, deriving a double power-law with a break radius of $r_s = 11.8\pm0.3\ kpc$, and inner and outer slopes of $\alpha_{in} = -2.5\pm0.1$ and $\alpha_{out} = -4.5\pm0.3$ respectively. Through isochrone fitting of simulated BHB stars, we find a colour-age/metallicity correlation, with older/more metal-poor stars being bluer, and establish a parameter to indicate this age (or metallicity) variation. Using this, we construct the three-dimensional population distribution of BHB stars in the halo and identify significant substructure. Finally, in agreement with previous studies, we also identify a systemic age/metallicity shift spanning $\sim3\ kpc$ to $ \sim20\ kpc$ in galactocentric distance., Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures. Accepted in MNRAS

We calculate the primordial trispectrum of curvature perturbation in quasi-single field inflation, with general sound speeds for both the inflaton and the massive scalar. Special attention is paid to various soft limits of the trispectrum, where the shape function shows characteristic oscillatory pattern (known as the quantum primordial standard clock signal) as a function of the momentum ratio. Our calculation is greatly simplified by using the "mixed propagator" developed under a diagrammatic representation of the in-in formalism., Comment: 23 pages, JCAP accepted version